JULY 5-11 2015
Feature
On a wing and a prayer Farmers in the arid region of Kachho turn to superstitions and rituals in their quest for rain
Cover Story The fault in our food Food contamination is a serious issue in Pakistan
24 Feature
The bustle of yore Chitrali Bazaar in Peshawar takes a hit amid rising militancy and consequent operations
32
44 Regulars
6 People & Parties: Out and about with beautiful people
50 Reviews: Books, TV and documentary
58 Positive Pakistanis: Shahzad
Edhi devotes his life to helping others
Magazine Incharge: Dilaira Dubash. Senior Subeditors: Sanam Maher and Ali Haider Habib. Subeditor: Komal Anwar Creative Team: Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Mohsin Alam, Talha Ahmed Khan, Hira Fareed, Maryam Rashid, Eesha Azam and Sanober Ahmed Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk 4 Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Generation showcases its Eid collection at Dolmen Mall in Karachi
Maryam Abid
6 JULY 5-11 2015
Khadija Rehman and Shazah Ayub
Wajiha Shahid
Warisha Fawad
Mariam
Zarmeena Khan
PHOTOS COURTESY KASHIFUDDIN
Shireen and Yusra
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Neha
Usman and Hira
8 JULY 5-11 2015
Nimrah and Bilal
Marium, Ramsha and Saleha
Mahnoor and Hafsa
PHOTOS COURTESY LATITUDE PR
Anam and Izza
Nimrah Khokhar launches her brand at Vogue Towers in Lahore
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Samia Sher and Furqan Haq
Mansoor Khan
Ali and Mahvish Ali
PHOTOS COURTESY REZZ PR
The Index Furniture and Home Accessories store opens up at Safa Gold Mall in Islamabad
Kashmala Tariq and Fatima Butt
Ammara, Bina Sultan and Kiran Khan
Mr and Mrs Jalal
10 JULY 5-11 2015
Ayesha and Fatima
Mashaal Mahnoor and Faizaan Ahaab
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Zeb Khan and Mahtab Akbar
Nael Asad and Iram Rehman
PHOTOS COURTESY REZZ PR
Dr Sitara and Sarah Ahmad
Samia Zeeshan and Ayesha Iftikhar
Maheen and Nuzhat Shah
12 JULY 5-11 2015
Aliya Saadat Ali and Ayesha Khan with a guest
Fawad Abbasii and Amna Majid
Natasha Hussain and Fatima Mahli
PEOPLE & PARTIES Amna, Hussain Ahmad and Mehreen
PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR
Aliza Tanveer launches her new collection ‘Mirage’ in Lahore Aliza Tanveer and Bilal Mukhtar
Shazdey Syed
Dua Khalid and Abeera Tanveer Dr Shehla Javed
14 JULY 5-11 2015
Mariyam Wasif
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Hina Salman
Shiza Rizwan
Ramsha Adeel
16 JULY 5-11 2015
Minal Mirza
Mariam Mamdoot
Diya Ali
PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR
Maheen and Marwa Elahi
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Tayyab and Samana
Ayesha Nawaz
Aqsa, Tabassum and Javed
PHOTOS COURTESY AHMED SHERAZ
The Fashion Designers Association of Pakistan organises a fashion show at Quaid-e-Azam Library in Lahore
Kanwal, Faisal and Ahmad Mr and Mrs Jay
Samrah and Haider
18 JULY 5-11 2015
Naila Amir
Sunita and Sara
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Fozia and Amina Illyas
Kiran, Nazia and Nazneen Tariq
Shaniera and Wasim Akram
20 JULY 5-11 2015
Suhai Abro
Hassan Sehryar Yaseen and Anushey
PHOTOS COURTESY TAKE II PR
Telenor Bridal Couture Week 2015 was held at The Palm Marquee in Karachi
ON A WING AND As temperatures spiked in Karachi this month, officials looked to the skies and mulled the possibility of cloud seeding — or ‘artificial rain’, wherein a mixture of chemicals is released in the air in order to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds — in order to quench the city’s thirst. The residents of the Kachho area of Dadu district in Sindh, however, didn’t look to the heavens for respite, turning, instead, to folk wisdom and superstition to relieve the droughtlike conditions.
Faces of orphans are blackened and an animal’s bell and pan are tied around their necks.
Children in remote villages in the district went door-to-door in groups of four, holding a cloth stretched between them as they collected grains and assorted food items from households in their villages. Once the collection was complete, the children gathered together and an orphan boy — sometimes even two or three — was brought out, his face blackened and a tao and kharki (an animal’s bell and pan) tied to his neck. “Black potter! Black potter! Give grain and water that rain may fall!” the children chant in their local Sindhi dialect.
TEXT AND PHOTO BY GULSHER PANHWER DESIGN BY HIRA FAREED
Farmers in the arid region of Kachho turn to superstitions and rituals to coax rain from the clouds
The Kachho area of Dadu, located in the western area of Sindh province and bordering Balochistan, is a disasterprone region. When there is rain, flash floods from the mighty Nai Gaj torrential stream sweep across the area. While the rain and floods bring bumper harvests and prosperity, the drought leaves a trail of withered trees, plants and herbs in its wake. At that time, some people offer prayers for rain. Others take a black heifer or goat to the Nai Gaj and sacrifice the animal, letting its blood spill onto the riverbed. They believe this will pacify the angry spirits. Sometimes, orphans are tied to a tree with symbols hanging from around their
A PRAYER
necks; a fire is lit and male and female dolls are thrown into the blaze in a symbolic sacrifice. Some villagers turn to their elders, asking them to predict the coming of the rains through a technique known as phall, wherein an older man or woman is believed to cast a magic spell. Some are popular for being able to ‘smell’ the coming of the rains, while others look to the stars and predict rainfall based on the movement of heavenly bodies. In Kachho and some other parts of Sindh, it is believed that a circle or ring around the moon is a sure indication of rain.
For social activist Mashooque Birhamani, the means of predicting rainfall may widely vary, but the root cause of droughts remains the same: “Due to ruthless deforestation in the area and the government’s indifference towards the environment, drought has become common in an area like Kachho,” he explains. “When development and prosperity is coupled with a desire to protect the environment, the work of rain ‘soothsayers’ will fade away.” Former union council nazim Alhayar Khan Rodnani agrees with Birhamani. “There used to be a pond in one central village in the Kachho area which catered to the needs of humans, animals and birds here,” he recalls. “The pond was our lifeline, but with the arrival of water supply schemes — many of which stopped working in a few months — the villagers stopped caring for and cleaning the pond.” A water-crisis has held Kachho in its grip for decades — according to some reports, only 20% of the cultivable land in Dadu has been used for farming. Farmers in Kachho wait for seasonal rains and hilly streams in order to cultivate their lands, as there is no permanent source of water here. And, with little to no aid from the government, it appears they may continue to turn to age-old practices and superstitions as they hold out hope for that elusive first drop of rain.
When development and prosperity is coupled with a desire to protect the environment, the work of rain ‘soothsayers’ will fade away
Gulsher Panhwer is a consultant and freelance columnist focusing on cultural and environmental issues.
Social activist Mashooque Birhamani JULY 5-11 2015
25
fault
The
in our food This Ramazan, we take a look at the ugly side of what we eat outside our homes BY FERYA ILYAS | PHOTOS BY ARIF SOOMRO | DESIGN BY MARYAM RASHID
No
June 2015 MIRPURKHAS: About 250 invitees to a wedding, including women and children, fell unconscious after eating dinner presented by their hosts in Digri town.
When we eat out to break the monotony of daily home food, we put our fate in the hands of others. We can only hope that the oil used to fry samosas is not carcinogenic; the chicken chunks in our rolls are washed before being marinated and put on a skewer with gloved hands; our biryani does not contain any toxic food colouring; and the meal was prepared in washed utensils. While many look the other way, jesting that “Pakistanis have a strong immune system”, some have paid a very heavy price for their meal prepared in unhygienic conditions and with substandard ingredients. Food crimes and the penalty imposed In Pakistan, gastronomic indulgence comes with a hidden cost. “Seventy per cent of the food available in the market is adulterated and 52% of mineral water available is unsafe for drinking,” says Muddassar Alam Tahirkheli, manager governance at Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan, sharing what an insider revealed at one of the cabinet meetings. Though sale of contaminated food or beverages is an offense in Pakistan under consumer laws, Tahirkheli says most food producers continue to use substandard raw
Ye Yes
54.5%
45% Do you think the more expensive the restaurant, the more hygienic it will be? materials such as contaminated water and inferior food colours, flavours, fats and oils because there is weak implementation of laws and a virtually non-existent integrated legal framework for food safety. The contamination, however, is not just limited to the ingredients. In most cases, persons preparing the food are not wearing gloves and hairnets, and the food is prepared in dirty kitchens infested with cockroaches. “Often the food is spoiled not because of substandard ingredients, but by an unhygienic handler who is sweating profusely in a poorly ventilated kitchen while adding chillies to the gravy,” says Karachi’s chief food inspector Abdul Waheed Bhatti, who heads a platoon of 13 food examiners instead of what should ideally be a battalion of 2,000 inspectors. Bhatti, along with a handful of comrades, travels around the sprawling mega city, snooping around kitchens for a rusty utensil or expired frozen meat. In a perfect world, we would expect Bhatti to seal HYDERABAD: Around a restaurant 200 students of the if he spots a Cadet College Petaro in health code Jamshoro suffered food violation, but poisoning after having unfortunately dinner at the college that is not mess. the case.
May 2015
“Seventy per cent of the food available in the market is adulterated and 52% of mineral water available is unsafe for drinking Manager governance at Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan Muddassar Alam Tahirkheli
Food inspectors in Karachi are working under a decades-old legislation, the Pure Food Ordinance 1960, which limits their role to just filing complaints Often with local magistrates. “We take samples of the food and if it fails the Sometimes laboratory test, we file 50% a detailed report which Always Seldom is forwarded to the 35% Never relevant magistrate,” 6.9% 6.3% Bhatti explains, adding 0.6% as a consequence How frequently do you eat food from restaurants? restaurant owners are merely fined somewhere between Rs500 and Rs3,000 for offences that could be potentially Many raised questions about whether fatal, as was seen in the case of the the food was perfectly stored before it case of 13-year-old Kanza Ahmed. hit the lab, but the fact remains that The teenager passed away earlier this Kanza and her family went through year after consuming a burger from an episode of stomach ache and Dilpasand in Karachi declared ‘unfit’ vomiting right after consuming the for human consumption in a test meal. conducted four days after her death. Although far from ideal, the situation in Lahore is relatively better. The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) — responsible for the availability of safe and wholesome food fit for human NAWABSHAH: Thirty-seven consumption — in its annual report guests fell unconscious for 2013-14, boasts visiting 19,040 food after eating food at a outlets and collecting 17,649 samples wedding dinner in Habib against Karachi’s estimated 8,000 Sugar Mills Colony. samples. It has issued notices to big names, while sealing 598 hotels,
Food served at roadside restaurants is often prepared in unsanitary cooking conditions.
February 2015
34 JULY 5-11 2015
Men prepare bun kebabs at a roadside stall without wearing gloves.
Average Above average
52.1% Excellent 33.2%
Men package dates with their bare hands.
3.9%
Below average
7.5%
Very poor
3.3%
How would you rate the quality of food served by Pakistani restaurants?
Food inspectors in Karachi are working under a decadesold legislation, the Pure Food Ordinance 1960, which limits their role to just filing complaints with local magistrates restaurants and bakeries. “We have a comprehensive law which covers several aspects of food safety. With 4,000 registered restaurants, action is taken against anyone found violating the food safety code,” PFA’s Deputy Director Operations Saqib Munir says as he begins to explain the organogram in place for inspection. The PFA has
February 2015 HYDERABAD: More than 100 men, women and children fell ill after having lunch at a wedding ceremony in Tandojam. nine teams for every town in Lahore, each team comprising three members. “During our checks, we detected major problems with washing and storage,” he adds, explaining food handlers at most places did not have any soap to wash their hands with before and after preparing food.
The number of inspectors in Lahore is not much higher either but PFA units in the city have more power and authority than their counterparts in other cities. Although not entirely impressed, Karachi’s Bhatti agrees that PFA’s governing law has teeth. “PFA is only limited to Lahore since it was established in 2011 but their work is good as they can impose hefty fines and seal outlets,” says Bhatti. Praising PFA, Masood Sadiq Butt, director general of National Institute of Food Science and Technology at Faisalabad’s University of Agriculture, adds, “It’s time such food safety structures are set up across Pakistan.” While emphasising the importance of inspection exercises to ensure food standards, he says, “In Pakistan, people only follow rules out of fear. Restaurant owners must know that they will be held responsible if something goes wrong.”
Quality
Cost
87.7%
12% What is more important to you when eating out?
January 28, 2015 KARACHI: Thirteen-year-old student, Kanza Ahmed, died apparently due to food poisoning in District Central.
Sniffing out a rotten egg The local laws and World Health Organization (WHO) standards state that to provide safe food, a restaurant must ensure five things: the food handler and cooking area is clean, water and raw materials used are safe, raw and cooked foods are stored separately, food (particularly meat and poultry) is cooked thoroughly and stored at appropriate temperatures. In Pakistan, food inspectors are in the field conducting raids almost every day. Food safety violations are rampant in the country with cases of food poisoning reported in local newspapers every other day. “Almost every time a case of food poisoning is reported, it has been food consumed outside the house,” says Yusra Bint-eKhalid, a food safety coordinator at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. “When eating out, we don’t know if the dishes were washed properly, how hygienic the kitchen was or whether
35 JULY 5-11 2015
October 2014 BADIN: Seven people fell unconscious apparently due to food poisoning in Allah Bukhsh Panhwar village near Malkani Sharif town.
Dirty kitchen
With a look of absolute disgust on her face, Ali says people would stop buying baked treats altogether if they ever step inside a filthy bakery kitchen.
An unappetising display of dates at a roadside stall.
Unhygienic food Impure handler
ingredients
Become street smart During Ramazan, alleys and sidewalks are overflowing with stalls selling samosas, pakoras and jalaibees to satiate public demand. As small-scale set-ups surface everywhere, experts advise people to think twice before indulging in items from these
44.3%
20.7% 35% Which of the following do you think is the most common cause of food contamination?
the cooks washed their hands before preparing the meal,” she says, relaying the concerns of many in the country. Senior scientific officer at Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s microbiology lab in Islamabad, Dr Sabahat, took food samples for research and development work from restaurants along
motorways in Punjab only to find that the majority of restaurants there were offering Most roadside stalls do not cover their items, allowing flies to feed on them.
October 2014 HYDERABAD: Nearly 50 men, women and children suffered food poisoning after being served dinner at a wedding ceremony.
36 JULY 5-11 2015
substandard food to the travellers. Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s senior director of medical and health services, Dr Salma Kausar Ali, shares her ordeal during a raid on a bakery.
places. “Food sold at roadside stalls is not safe for consumption most of the time,” warns Professor Butt. Due to their low-cost business model, street vendors fail to ensure basic safety
September 2014 The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) in its annual report for 2013-14, boasts visiting 19,040 food outlets and collecting 17,649 samples against Karachi’s estimated 8,000 samples standards such as cleanliness, high quality ingredients and clean water. “The food dyes used in cooking are toxic and can cause cancer,” he says. “You must have seen children buying cheap confectioneries which stain their tongue,” he adds.
September 2014 MANSEHRA: At least 93 people suffering from food poisoning were taken to a hospital in Battagram.
According to Professor Butt buying pakoras and other fried snacks from outside can be unsafe as many sellers — due to sheer increase in demand during Ramazan — focus on quantity while quality takes a backseat. “Often these snacks are fried in low-quality oil which turns into dangerous trans-fat because of reheating and
Yes No
68.8% 31.4% Have you ever fallen sick after eating out?
overheating,” he says. Additionally, as the oil begins to run low, instead of throwing away the remainder most pour more oil into the karahi spoiling the entire lot. “Trans-fat clogs arteries and causes coronary heart disease,” he adds. On refrying leftover snacks, food inspector Bhatti says pakoras and samosas cannot be refried as the look and taste changes overtime. “You can freeze uncooked samosas and pakora batter but once they are deep fried, they have to be consumed,” Bhatti says, adding majority of the food outlets give away all that is left behind. “Many restaurants and sweetmeat shops distribute leftover food among their employees, madrassas and charities after they close for the day. A few wait till midnight but not beyond that,” he says. Overall, food sold by hawkers or at roadside stalls pose greater health risks. Vendors lack the basic infrastructure to keep food safe and in most cases possess zero knowledge of hygiene, both environmental and personal. “They also fail to follow the most important food rule: warm food should be kept warm and cold food should be kept cold,” says Professor Butt. Moreover, WHO advises consumers to buy street food that is prepared in front of them, using safe ingredients and clean equipment and by someone who has taken extra precaution for hygiene.
FAISALABAD: A girl died and four children were hospitalised after they ate fruit chaat.
No Yes
62.3% 37.7% Are you satisfied with the quality of food served by Pakistani restaurants? there!” Khalid advises, seconded by Professor Butt. In contrast to smallscale businesses that have no concept of hygiene, Khalid says, “Renowned restaurants prepare food in a clean environment with good quality produce and ensure those handling food [follow the kitchen dress code].” In agreement, food inspector Bhatti says, famous eateries will not
Dr Sabahat took food samples for research and development work from restaurants along motorways in Punjab only to find that the majority of restaurants there were offering substandard food to the travellers
Compliments to the chef The food scene in the country might be unpleasant, but not all is bad. There appears to be a consensus among people in the food safety industry that big names provide safer food. “Believe it or not, restaurant giants maintain their own food safety standards. Go eat
risk losing customers to safety scandals. “If you find your food is substandard, wouldn’t you stop going to that outlet and tell your family and friends to do the same?” Erum Basit, product development chef at a top restaurant in Karachi, corroborates
37 JULY 5-11 2015
Street food thrives amid unhygienic conditions.
Yes
76.6% No
23.4%
April 2014
Do you avoid restaurant food because of the hygiene factor?
August 2014 ISLAMABAD: Over 100 police officials were admitted at the Polyclinic. Nearly all complained of food poisoning, dehydration and other stomach-related problems.
Bhatti’s claims. She admits that although smaller in number, highend restaurants follow strict hygiene standards. “Hair nets and gloves are mandatory for all kitchen employees while a team of qualified food personnel is responsible for implementing the
38 JULY 5-11 2015
however, Basit laments the lack of qualified staff in the industry which makes food standard violations an everyday reality. Kanza, who allegedly died due to food poisoning in January, was one of the two million people who succumb to contaminated food or unsafe drinking water globally every year. Although there is no consolidated data on the number of people who fall sick in Pakistan, media reports provide a snapshot of the alarming situation in the country. Victims of food poisoning notice symptoms after hours, sometimes days, says Khalid. “The contaminating
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points system (a process through which food is inspected at all stages of production),” she reveals, adding that a regular training programme is also carried out for kitchen and floor staff. Despite the strict safety measures,
May 2014 ABBOTABAD: At least 150 villagers, a majority of them women, were hospitalised after consuming traditional food at a wedding banquet.
RAWALPINDI: A teenage boy and his seven-year-old sister died of food poisoning while their father and other family members were hospitalised in a critical condition.
bacteria pass from the stomach into the intestines and begin to multiply. Some produce harmful substances that are absorbed into the bloodstream while others directly invade body tissues,” she adds. “The symptoms depend greatly on the type of bacteria, but the most common reactions are diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps,” she says, adding that diarrhoea and vomiting are a result of the body trying to rid itself of
January 2014 February Fe e 2014 SUKKUR / KARACHI: A total of eight people died in two separate incidents in Ghotki and Jacobabad after eating contaminated food.
“Hair nets and gloves are mandatory for all kitchen employees while a team of qualified food personnel is responsible for implementing the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points system Product Development Chef Erum Basit
harmful bacteria. In extreme instances, stomach aches and cramping lead to bloody diarrhoea, kidneys shutting down and seizures and the worst case scenario is ‘death by
food’. Losing precious life to an illness as preventable as food poisoning is unfortunate. With increased globalisation of the food chain and no integrated safety system in place in the country, the major burden of preventing food poisoning falls on consumers. Given the fact that more and more people are eating out, experts advise prevention over cure.
January 2014 VEHARI: Four siblings who allegedly consumed poisonous food died during treatment at a hospital.
GUJRANWALA: As many as 30 people, including 10 children and women, were taken to the Gujranwala Civil Hospital in serious condition after eating substandard food.
*The graphs in the story are results of a survey conducted on The Express Tribune website. A total of 334 participants from different backgrounds completed the survey. Ferya Ilyas is a senior subeditor at The Express Tribune. She tweets @ferya_ilyas
“Even small details make a huge difference; I would never eat food from a restaurant whose server has untrimmed nails,” Khalid says.T
Most of the time food sold at roadside stalls is not safe for consumption.
Appalling conditions of food storage are a common sight in the country.
Once a crowded market, the number of customers has declined considerably at Chitrali Bazaar.
The bustle of yore Traders and customers remember the time when Chitrali Bazaar was a favourite among foreign and local customers
44
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ABDUR RAZZAQ | DESIGN BY SANOBER AHMED JULY 5-11 2015
Chitrali Bazaar in the heart of Peshawar was once a bustling point of convergence for locals and foreigners. Afghan traders imported handmade Chitrali Chugha (embroidered robe), pakol (traditional headgear), waistcoats and woollen coats, which were in great demand, not only among the people of KhyberPakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), but from other parts of the country and world. But like all other forms of commerce, the bazaar took a hit in 2001 when two planes, hijacked by terrorists, crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York. The attack did not just dry up business generated from tourists, the entire trade of handmade woollen items suddenly collapsed.
There are more than 450 shops at Chitrali Bazaar. But most skilled men have left the business and have moved to Karachi, Rawalpindi or Middle Eastern countries to earn a livelihood President of Anjuman-e-Tajran Chitrali Bazaar Sadiq Ameen
Sadiq Ameen, the president of Anjuman-e-Tajran Chitrali Bazaar, says the bazaar was famous for the quality of its goods. “Before the September attacks, visitors from across the A shopkeeper waits for customers. globe used to come to buy woollen products. Afghanistan was one of the biggest markets for our products, but then both foreigners and Afghan traders stopped buying,” he adds. The pakol and waistcoat are favourite souvenirs for people from other provinces of Pakistan. However, the little business generated from local customers was not enough to keep businesses afloat. “Most skilled men have left the business and moved to Karachi, Rawalpindi or Middle Eastern countries to earn a livelihood,” says Ameen, who
has been associated with the business for 55 years. According to him, the number of labourers per shop went down from five to six, a decade ago, to just two. During recent years, overall business activity at the market has reduced by over 65%, he claims. Chitrali Bazaar was established by shopkeepers from Upper Chitral in the late 1940s. It is believed that before Partition, there was a bazaar-e-husn (market for beauty) at the site of Chitrali Bazaar. This was where locals, as well as the British elite, came to enjoy performances by dancers and musicians. Later though, some locals and clerics started a movement to shut down the bazaar and eventually succeeded. After the closure of bazaar-ehusn, local elders built four small mosques at each corner and expressed the desire to rename the market ‘Islamabad’ — a name government documents still bear. Decades later, a lot has changed. While the Chitrali patti (pure woollen fabric known as ‘Shu’ in Khowar language) is still brought from Chitral and traditional items like waistcoats and pakol are made by tailors at the bazaar, the poor security situation in the region has discouraged businessmen. Businessman Haji Fazal Khan, also a resident of Chitral, says that though business has been affected by the
45
FEATURE deteriorating law and order situation in Fata and parts of K-P, the tragic attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar last December brought commerce to a standstill. “After the attack, businessmen were unable to even pay their shop’s rent. Afghans are our prime customers and thousands of them left Pakistan after the incident,” laments Khan. The ongoing militancy and resultant military operations has been another deathblow to business. “Due to the Zarbe-Azb operation in North Waziristan, I haven’t been able to recover Rs1.6 million from sales because there is no news of the people who purchased the goods from me,” says Khan. According to him, tribesmen from Waziristan can’t move around freely in Peshawar as police and security agencies often question or harass them. Khan claims doing business with Afghans is not very profitable any longer as Afghan businessmen usually purchase goods on credit and “take an eternity” to pay back the money. Local businessmen cannot go to Afghanistan themselves because policemen and locals there are often not very hospitable to their Eastern neighbours, he says. A shopkeeper gives final touches to a pakol.
Handmade woolen products on display.
It is believed that before Partition there was a bazaar-ehusn (market for beauty) at the site of Chitrali Bazaar
Khan has been in the trade for the last 40 years and hence, knows a thing or two about the merchandise on sale in the bazaar. He says good quality cloth is usually handmade by Chitrali women during winters when the valley is draped in snow and there is little else to do. The price of a handmade Chugha is around Rs15,000 to Rs20,000, while those machine-made from Lahori cloth are much cheaper to procure. People prefer the garb available at Chitrali Bazaar over other places because the handmade fabric is very light but durable at the same time, explains Khan. Khan Ali, who lives near Dalazak Road in Peshawar, saunters through the bazaar looking to buy a waistcoat and Chitrali cap. He maintains that the quality of handmade Chitrali patti items available here is the best in the city. “The things I have bought from here are very economical and the attitude of businessmen is also pleasant. Elders from my family have been coming here to purchase goods for the last 15 years,” he adds. Ali says a major reason he prefers Chitrali patti items over Western jackets and caps is the durability of the former. But for him, it is also about preserving cultural identity. “It makes me proud,” he says with a smile.
Abdur Razzaq is a Peshawar-based radio and print journalist. He tweets @TheAbdurRazzaq
BOOK
The man behind the militant Omar Shahid Hamid’s gripping second novel traces a young man’s journey from an ‘idealistic student’ to a ‘jihadi’
BY OUR CORRESPONDENT
The Spinner’s Tale is the second book by Omar Shahid Hamid, who has served with the Karachi Police for 12 years and was targeted by various terrorist organisations and wounded in the line of duty in 2010. The book is not a sequel to his first undertaking The Prisoner, which was loosely structured around the events that led to the killing of Mir Murtaza Bhutto and the kidnapping and subsequent murder of Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl in 2002, but a refreshing take on the makings of a jihadi. There are some similarities between the two books — once more, a foreign journalist, a pregnant female reporter, is kidnapped and subsequently beheaded by Sheikh Ahmed Uzair Sufi, the book’s main character. However, this time the author focuses on Omar Saeed Sheikh, presented here as Sheikh Ahmed Uzair Sufi, the man behind the kidnapping of Western tourists in India and also the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl in Karachi. It is a gripping tale, painful in many parts, but one that gives a detailed account of the life of the fictional Sheikh Ahmed Uzair Sufi and what motivated him to commit such crimes. It is a wellresearched book which offers details that have so far not surfaced with regards to the personality of the real Sheikh. Unlike Hamid’s debut novel, where there were a number of colourful characters based on real police officers, The Spinner’s Tale holds back. Readers have to restrict themselves to two fictional characters modelled on well-known individuals — Omar Abbasi, in my understanding is based on one of Sindh’s best known cops Sanaullah Abbasi, and Inspector Shahab of the CID. Author Omar Shahid Hamid
The story opens as Sheikh Ahmed Uzair Sufi is transferred out of Hyderabad Jail — where Omar Saeed Sheikh still resides — to a makeshift facility in the Nara desert where the police higher-ups feel that the prisoner would be safe from any attempts to spring him. The narrative is strung together through letters written by Sheikh to his friend Eddy. We piece together the story of a boy who loved cricket and who gradually turned from an innocent student to a member of an ethnic party’s student wing and then into a jihadi. In many ways, this is the story of many educated young Pakistani men from middle-class families who turn to militancy in response to the ills of Pakistani society or the space created in our country due to corrupt politics and authoritarian governments. It is a story of the alternate system that exists in the country which breeds and shields such militants and considers them heroes. It is also a tale of the magnetic personalities of many such characters, of which Sheikh is possibly the best example. The Spinner’s Tale is the perfect starting point for those wanting to better understand the transformation of our youth to extremists. T
The many-faced game
Season five further polarises opinions of Game of Thrones fans BY NUDRAT KAMAL
SPOILER ALERT! Game of Thrones has always been a show that elicits extreme reactions from its fans, and as the seasons have progressed, it has only increased in its divisiveness. On the one hand, there is the epic scope of its storytelling, the nuanced insight into deplorable characters and the fascinating way it explores themes of morality, war and power. And on the other hand is the over-the-top violence and nudity, which in recent seasons has combined into gratuitous and unnecessary instances of sexual violence. The show’s fifth season, which recently concluded, amplifies both these aspects. If there was an overarching theme to this season, it was how difficult it is to retain power once you have it. In their disparate storylines, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) all struggle with the power they have suddenly acquired: Cersei finally rules at King’s Landing, with her young son merely a puppet whose strings she can easily pull, Jon Snow is unexpectedly pushed into a leadership position at the Night’s Watch, where he has to contend with the growing threat of the White Walkers, and Daenerys struggles to maintain some semblance of order in Meereen in the aftermath of her abolition of slavery. All three character arcs go in wildly different directions but all three are hugely satisfying to watch. Both Daenerys and Jon learn, over the course of the season, that having good intentions and idealistic notions doesn’t always translate into mass popularity or effective governance, while Cersei finds out how alliances to maintain power can sometimes backfire horrifically. This season also has one of the most highly-anticipated character interactions in the history of the show — Daenerys finally meets Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) as he travels across the Narrow Sea to see her. The meeting is everything a fan of the show hoped for — her no-nonsense idealism and his sardonic witticisms clash perfectly as both bond over politics and personal issues. The season also boasts its most breathtaking and thrilling battles to date, with all the necessary twists and turns finally bringing to a head the White Walker storyline. In contrast to these positives was this season’s infuriating treatment of women and the blasé way in which it meted out sexual violence, including to fan favourite Sansa Stark. In a storyline the showrunners changed from the books (written by George RR Martin) specifically for her character, Sansa is married to the sadistic Ramsay Bolton, who rapes her on their wedding night and continues to assault her throughout the season. The storyline caused great controversy amongst the online community and for good reason — it’s not only the violence that has become too much to stomach, it’s the fact that the storyline was doubly redundant. In the past seasons, the show has already established (in gruesome detail) the depths of Ramsay’s depravity, and Sansa has already been in a position where she was subjected to abuse (lest anyone forgets Joffrey), so the storyline served no purpose other than to incite outrage. The season was also a disappointment in some other storylines which had a great deal of potential but were a huge let-down. The biggest was the Dorne arc in which Jamie goes to Dorne to rescue his daughter-slash-niece. The arc was supposed to highlight the Sand Snakes, a group of female warriors, but it depicted them as unintelligent women bent on revenge. The Stannis storyline was also clumsily executed, with a focus on shocking twists instead of nuanced character development. Both are examples of producers taking great liberties with the source material. With the finale ending at the same place the latest book in the series ends, the next season will plausibly include more improvisation on the producers’ part. Rating: Nudrat Kamal is a freelance writer. She tweets @Nudratkamal
BOOK
A familiar composition Although by no means a definitive biography of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Pierre-Alain Baud’s latest book does make for an engaging read BY ALI HAIDER HABIB
What more can be told about a man whose life has so emphatically been documented? Shahenshah-eQawwali Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has been the subject of many a book, film and blog. Countless admirers have penned eulogies and waxed lyrical about the man whose music seared their g, hearts with the flame of longing, separation and uncontained ecstasy. Some believe him to be a god-like figure, a Buddha m, spreading the song of mysticism, while others describe him as a master of technique, a musical des genius. And the most striking odes an’s have been attributed not to Khan’s m fellow countrymen, but men from ake foreign lands who wanted to make sense of his unparalleled charm.. w In Khan’s own words, “You know ake this perfectly good cloth they make in Faisalabad, people won’t buy itt n’ unless you stamp ‘Made in Japan’ down the side. I’m just like that cloth for the ‘gentry’.” French author Pierre-Alain Baud’s Nusrat — The Voice of Faith is the latest biography of the giant of qawwali. Since much of Khan’s life has already been told in great detail, there are not a lot of things that will qualify as new or exclusive for avid fans. However, the book 54 is not meant to serve as an exhaustive encyclopedia on the man; yet, JULY 5-11 2015
it does share some interesting anecdotes that dotted Khan’s illustrious career. For example, his first concert in Brazil was such a colossal failure that Khan almost decided not to perform the next day. Fortunately, he changed his mind and the performance at a packed hall in Sao Paulo was a roaring success. Baud, who spent a significant amount of time in Khan’s company, opens the book with a couple of chapters dedicated to Pakistan and qawwali. This serves as an effective prelude because the book is clearly written for an international audience (the French in particular). Translated later into English and Urdu, Baud’s book aims to first acclimatise the reader to the South Asian art form, then to its constituents and, finally, to its curators. This part of the b book also highlights some fa ascinat developments in the fascinating timeline of qawwali’s ascent to pop cu ulture such as its first depiction culture, n film in the 30s. In 1945, the film in Ze Zeenat featured a qawwal party le ed by three women, including led th he Queen Qu the of Melody Noor Jehan. Moreo Moreover, the book features in ntere interesting blurbs on world music la abel Womad Records and the label Th heat de la Ville in Paris, where Theatre Khan performed as many as 16 Khan time m s times. Ot Other facts, those pertaining o Khan Kh in particular, are wellto kn now It is often narrated how known. Kha father and acclaimed Khan’s qaw qa qawwal Fateh Ali Khan wanted hiis son s to become a doctor as he his be eli believed his own profession did no ot warrant an enviable status not n society. s in Thus, Baud does we to cite other texts, such well ass Ahmad Aqeel Ruby’s poetic ta a on the scenario: “He take (K K (Khan) would rather apply the ba of music to the wounded balm he hearts of his listeners who th loved ones.” suffered the pangs of separation from their The book, therefore, is by no means a definitive guide on Khan or qawwali, but it makes for an engaging read on a hot summer afternoon, especially for those who just can’t get enough of the man who serenaded our souls. T Ali Haider Habib is a senior subeditor at The Express Tribune’s magazine desk. He tweets @haiderhabib
THE TWO FACES OF HISTORY This is My Land shows how the version of history you choose to believe might not be entirely up to you BY SARAH MUNIR
Education can be a double-edged sword: while the right ideas can transform the world, the wrong ones can rip humanity apart for generations through hatred and bigotry. This is the premise for Paris-based director Tamara Erde’s documentary This is My Land, in which she follows teachers and students from six different schools in Palestine and Israel for a year to see how history and national identity is taught on each side. What she finds is hardly surprising. History on both sides is seen and taught through a lens which tilts events in their favour, while making ‘the other’ look like a ruthless and unforgiving enemy. Moreover, national identity is derived as much from love for one’s own land as it is from a deep hatred of those who want to take it away. By documenting school sessions and interviewing teachers along with students, Erde shows viewers both faces of history and how the version of reality you choose to believe is taught to you at a very young age — usually in classrooms. For example, in 56 a Palestinian classroom, you can see children JULY 5-11 2015
being told how it must feel for an Arab to be in an Israeli prison. On the other hand, in an Israeli classroom, students share fears of Arabs taking their land away and reluctance at the idea of reconciliation with the Palestinians. All the schools that Erde visits throughout the film are either exclusively for Israeli or Palestinian kids, with the exception of the Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam bilingual elementary school, where an Israeli and Palestinian teacher teach Jewish and Arab kids side-by-side. For me, the dynamics in this school were the highlight of the film but were not given enough time or attention. The interactions and opinions from the other five schools in comparison were not new or surprising. Rather, in my opinion, it was this school — where proponents of opposing sides of history were engaging and having a conversation about one of the most disputed narratives — that deserved an entire documentary on its own. As a Pakistani, who has often been conflicted by the jingoistic and anti-India version of history taught in our classrooms
and vice versa, the subject of the film definitely struck a chord. However, at times, the treatment of the subject by the filmmaker seemed too superficial. For example, there was little character building since every student and teacher only got a few minutes of screen time. So even though what they are saying is hugely impactful, one ends up feeling very little since there is little backstory and one barely knows anything about these people other than their historical and geographical lineage. The running time of the film, which stretched to 93 minutes, was also a tad too long and felt like a history lesson at times. Overall, if you are interested in identity politics, This is My Land is a decent watch due to the important choice of subject. However, if you are a fan of good documentaries, give this one a miss since it fails on many counts of storytelling. Rating: Sarah Munir is a freelance multimedia journalist. She tweets @SarahMunir1
positive
PAKISTANIS
Fighting fate with faith Abandoned by his parents when he was just six months old, Shahzad has devoted his life to being there for people in their time of need TEXT AND PHOTO BY ZAINAB SADIA SAEED
Shahzad Edhi now works for the Edhi Centre in Karachi, drafting and writing documents.
“P
ut me down as Shahzad Edhi,” says the 25-year-old, who works at the Edhi Foundation in Karachi. Shahzad was left in a cot outside a shelter by his biological parents when he was six months old, perhaps because he was differently-abled. It was then that philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi took him under his wing and bought him up as a part of his family, along with his grandsons Saad and Ahmed. Edhi’s daughter Kobra looked after Shahzad, who has now moved on to following in Edhi’s footsteps. Shahzad lives the life of an average 25 year old. He loves chicken fajita pizza and listens to remixes of Indian rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh. Unlike other abandoned children, Shahzad has been fortunate. He was enrolled at Okahi Memon School by his namesake, Edhi’s brother Shahzad. But the bullying he faced for being different soon became too much for him and Shahzad decided to drop out in the seventh grade. “I told my father I did not want to study anymore. They (the students) would laugh when I would read and write,” he says. Soon after, he was taught how to use a computer and 58 started working for the Edhi Foundation, where he still JULY 5-11 2015
DESIGN BY ESSAL MALIK
works, drafting and writing documents. Shahzad also received first-aid training and accompanies emergency squads to help whenever needed. An example of his bravery can be found in his resolve to help victims of the Nishtar Park bombing in Karachi in 2006. Scores had died in the attack that day and Shahzad rushed to help many who had been injured. “I’ve never felt like anything is missing. The Edhis have always made me feel part of the family. Sir Edhi has never let me feel the absence of a father figure because he played that role himself,” says Shahzad. He now lives in Sohrab Goth at an Edhi shelter and helps take care of those who, like him, were abandoned by their parents. Shahzad wakes up at 7:00am everyday and works till 6:00pm. His eyes bear the look of a man content with life. “I want to tell Pakistanis never to lose hope and to keep struggling; we’ll get there. Never show anyone your struggles. Always stand tall and proud. You’ll overcome your worries.” Zainab Saeed is a student, home tutor and an aspiring journalist. She tweets @zainabssaeed